Before diving in, if you’re unfamiliar with the Nitro OBD2 performance chip scam, it’s crucial to understand its deceptive nature. Quarkslab’s detailed reverse engineering analysis provides essential background: https://blog.quarkslab.com/reverse-engineering-of-the-nitro-obd2.html
The infamous NitroOBD scam, originating from China, has saturated the internet for years, spawning countless imitations with diverse branding. Unscrupulous sellers quickly realized the profitability of marketing these simple LED blinkers as high-performance ‘tuners’. Our analysis focuses on the Thorton Top Speed OBDII Cat Performance Chip Tuner, exposing the truth behind this specific product. To fully grasp the extent of this scam, reading the Quarkslab article is highly recommended. Numerous tests and articles have conclusively proven the Nitro OBD module to be a complete fraud. Don’t just take our word for it – the evidence is overwhelming.
Further reinforcing the Nitro-OBD scam and its variations are several revealing YouTube videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgXwfBTKLGU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-l9ohTjvkw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdoIjt2mMEQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OIO1tJPEy8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1OmGDE1FLA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytwlDVaFbec
Reverse Engineering the Thorton Top Speed OBDII Cat Performance Chip Tuner: Scam or Solution?
This investigation delves into the “Thorton Top Speed OBDII Cat Performance Chip Tuner” through reverse engineering and thorough analysis. Our goal is to determine if it lives up to its performance enhancement claims or if it’s simply another deceptive product preying on unsuspecting car enthusiasts.
The Thorton Top Speed OBDII Cat Performance Chip boasts a visually appealing, glossy black design. However, its familiar aesthetic immediately raised red flags. Have we encountered similar-looking products in our scam investigations before? Regrettably, yes. Thorton Chip Tuning, the company behind this product, claims to be “a team of automotive enthusiasts based in Columbus, GA, founded in 2008 with a mission to work with high-performance vehicles.”
Image: Thorton Chip Tuning “About Us” page showcasing their company information.
Examining the “shop” photo on their “About Us” page does little to inspire confidence in their tuning expertise. The depicted activities seem to revolve around axles, gearboxes, and tires, with no visible connection to vehicle tuning or performance enhancement.
Image: Questionable “shop” photo from Thorton Chip Tuning’s “About Us” page, raising doubts about their tuning focus.
The Thorton Tuning Chip product is presented on their website, thortonchiptuning.com, with professional-looking promotional images.
Image: Product photo of the Thorton Top Speed OBDII Cat Performance Chip as advertised on their website.
The advertisement is undeniably slick and appealing. However, as past experiences have taught us, appearances can be deceiving. In fact, visual cues often provide subtle hints that reveal the true nature of these products. Even without further investigation, a closer look at the screen grab above might reveal something familiar. If not, the comparison below will highlight the striking similarities.
Packaging and Presentation: Echoes of Past Scams
Image: Side-by-side comparison of the SuperOBD scam chip box and instructions with the Thorton Performance Chip packaging.
The Thorton chip’s packaging bears an uncanny resemblance to the SuperOBD scam chip we previously exposed. The box size, cover dimensions, and even the installation instructions at the bottom are nearly identical, with only minor alterations. This striking similarity immediately raises concerns. But what about the chip itself?
Image: Visual comparison of the internal components of the Super OBD scam chip and the Thorton Top Speed OBDII Cat chip, highlighting their identical design.
Indeed, the chip itself mirrors the Super OBD2 / Nitro OBD scam modules we’ve previously dissected. The lights, button, and overall external design are virtually indistinguishable – only the branding and color schemes have been modified.
Examining Thorton’s Performance Claims: Too Good to Be True?
Thorton makes numerous bold claims about the capabilities of this “chip.” Let’s analyze some of their key assertions from their website:
Image: Screenshot of Thorton Chiptuning website claims part 1, detailing the “tuning” and adaptation process.
Initially, their claims appear somewhat conventional compared to other similar products marketed online: “After driving about 125 total road miles, our tuning chip will adjust itself to your vehicle’s engine, your driving habits and continues to remap the ECU for optimal performance and fuel consumption as you continue to drive.” This “adaptive learning” claim is a common tactic used by these types of devices.
Image: Screenshot of Thorton Chiptuning website claims part 2, emphasizing their supposed “U.S. Seller” status.
They assert being “U.S. sellers.” While this may be technically true in terms of their sales operations, the manufacturing origin of the product is far from American soil, as we will soon reveal.
Image: Screenshot of Thorton Chiptuning website claims part 3, highlighting the contradictory claims of universal compatibility and vehicle-specific selection.
Here, inconsistencies begin to emerge. Many scam products share a common trait: claiming universal compatibility across a vast range of vehicles. Thorton seems to allude to this, stating: “The Thorton Performance Chip will fit all engine sizes and types for your make of vehicle.” This suggests compatibility across all variants within a specific manufacturer’s lineup. However, they contradict this by adding: “Be sure to select the correct Make, Model and engine of your vehicle when purchasing.”
This raises critical questions: If it’s a genuinely custom-programmed chip, why the initial claim of universal compatibility within a vehicle make? Conversely, if it’s truly universal, why require specific engine details during purchase? This inherent contradiction signals a deceptive marketing strategy.
Image: Screenshot of Thorton Chiptuning website claims part 4, boldly promising significant horsepower gains from an OBD plug-in device.
Now, the claims escalate into the realm of the unbelievable. Promising 40HP gains from a simple OBD plug-in “chip” that visually mirrors known scam modules? This claim stretches credibility to its breaking point. It’s akin to being offered a magical beanstalk – enticing, but ultimately rooted in fantasy.
Cost and Pricing Structure: Levels of Deception?
The Thorton Top Speed OBDII Cat Performance Chip is offered on thortonchiptuning.com in three distinct “levels” with varying price points:
Image: Thorton Chiptuning’s pricing structure for their Top Speed OBDII Cat Performance Chip, offering different “levels” at escalating prices.
Intriguingly, despite the different “power levels,” all chip versions appear visually identical. “Level 1” is priced at $29.95, “Level 2” at $59.95, and “Level 3” at $89.95. Another peculiar observation arises from the dial logos representing these “levels.” They bear a striking resemblance to those used by another previously exposed chip scam – the Chipyourcar Thunderbolt chip.
Image: Comparison of dial designs used to represent “levels” for the Chipyourcar scam chip and the Thorton chip, highlighting the nearly identical MPG and horsepower values.
While subtle color and shape variations exist, the MPG and horsepower values depicted on these dials are EXACTLY THE SAME. The probability of such precise duplication by chance is incredibly low. This suggests either a direct connection between Thorton and the creators of Chip Your Car, or a highly skilled imitation strategy. The accumulating evidence strongly points towards the former – a shared origin and deceptive intent. But what lies within the Thorton Top Speed OBD CAT Performance Chip?
Internal Disassembly and Analysis: Unveiling the Truth
To uncover the reality, we acquired a Thorton Top Speed OBDII CAT Performance Chip and carefully disassembled its plastic casing. Upon opening the device, the internal design immediately triggered a sense of déjà vu – it was strikingly similar to previously analyzed scam modules.
Image: External view of the Thorton Performance Chip Top Speed OBDII Cat before disassembly.
Image: Internal components of the Thorton Top Speed OBDII Cat Performance Chip after disassembling the casing.
A detailed comparison with previous scam modules confirmed our suspicions. The circuit board is yet another iteration of the NitroOBD clone, with rearranged components and altered LED colors.
Image: Direct circuit board comparison between the SUPERobd NitroOBS scam chip and the Thorton Top Speed OBDII CAT Performance Chip, illustrating their identical components and layout.
Component for component, both modules are identical, merely repositioned with LED color variations. Both utilize the PIC16F59 microprocessor, a chip with insufficient memory capacity to store genuine vehicle engine maps. This further solidifies the conclusion that these devices are incapable of delivering on their performance enhancement promises. The reason for the striking similarity becomes clear when considering their shared origin – China.
Image: Aliexpress listing showcasing the OBDIICAT scam chip, revealing its low-cost source and identical appearance to the Thorton chip.
As evidenced by the Aliexpress listing above, these modules are readily available from Chinese suppliers at a mere $4.32 per unit. Astonishingly, the Thorton chip tuning website even utilizes the EXACT SAME product photo from this Aliexpress listing! They directly sourced their promotional material from their supplier, exposing the lack of originality and deceptive marketing practices. Further down the Aliexpress page, the listing explicitly compares the Thorton Top Speed OBDII Chip to the original NitroOBD Yellow scam chip.
Image: Aliexpress comparison image directly comparing the Thorton Top Speed OBDII Chip to the NitroOBD, confirming their shared origin and functionality.
The Chinese supplier openly acknowledges the product’s equivalence to the NitroOBD scam. Need more evidence? The Aliexpress page provides further comparisons:
Image: Aliexpress comparison table showcasing the Thorton Top Speed OBDII Chip alongside Nitro OBD Diesel and Benzine versions, highlighting their claimed universal compatibility.
The supplier claims the Top Speed OBDII chip is comparable to older NITRO obd and ECO obd modules (which are internally identical) and purportedly functions on both gasoline and diesel vehicles. This reinforces our conclusion: it’s a universal, one-size-fits-all device marketed as a performance enhancer, but in reality, it’s a scam.
Based on this compelling evidence, it’s irrefutable: the Thorton Top Speed OBDII Cat Performance Chip is not what it purports to be. Our initial suspicions were validated – it’s simply another iteration of the light flasher scam, repackaged with a new colored case and different LED lights.
Real-World Testing and Blink Analysis: Confirming the Scam
To confirm our findings in a practical setting, we installed the Thorton Top Speed OBDII Cat Performance Chip in a vehicle and drove the recommended 125 miles. The result? Absolutely no discernible difference in fuel economy, performance, or any other vehicle behavior. No noticeable gains whatsoever, requiring no dyno testing to confirm our expectations. Most drivers can readily detect a 10HP increase or more without specialized equipment. Thorton’s claim of up to 40HP gains is utterly unsubstantiated.
To definitively confirm the identical programming to verified Nitro OBD scams, we conducted a “blink test.” We connected both the Thorton and Nitro OBD modules to a 12V power supply on a bench and recorded the blink intervals of their LEDs.
Image: Bench test setup comparing the LED blink patterns of the SuperOBD scam chip and the Thorton Performance Chip.
Blink Test Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9atyTLr5KU
Both the Nitro OBD tuning scam (left) and the Thorton Top Speed OBDII Cat Performance Chip (right) exhibited EXACTLY the same blink rate! Identical programming, identical blink intervals – same scam, just with different colored lights.
As previously observed with other NitroOBD variants, blink patterns can vary. The original NitroOBD devices alter patterns based on activity detected on OBD port pins, simulating communication with the vehicle to deceive users. One mode mimics rapid blinking, suggesting active communication. In the absence of pin activity, a slower blink pattern simulates a low-power or standby state (though no true sleep mode exists, it’s purely a light pattern change). Like previous scams, the Thorton chip also exhibits this simulated “sleep” pattern and the fake “activity” pattern observed in our test. The identical blink patterns conclusively demonstrate that both the Thorton Chip and the NitroOBD scam share the same microprocessor, circuit board, and programming.
Conclusion: Steer Clear of the Thorton Top Speed OBDII Cat Scam
Our comprehensive research and testing unequivocally demonstrate that the Thorton Top Speed OBDII Cat Performance Chip is simply another iteration of light-blinking scam boxes, akin to the NitroOBD. Our initial instincts were correct. Don’t waste your money on this product – you’d be better off buying a bag of potato chips!
UPDATE: Thorton Superchargers – The Scam Evolves
It appears the individuals behind the Thorton Performance Chip are perpetuating their scam through a new website: thortonsuperchargers.com. This site features identical logos and graphics, claiming a Tacoma, Washington address (a UPS store, unlike the Georgia address of the previous site). While adding an air supercharger turbine and other accessories to their product line, the core scam remains: the Thorton performance chip is still prominently featured.
Image: Thorton Superchargers website page openly advertising the “NITRO PERFORMANCE CHIP,” revealing their continued association with the NitroOBD scam.
Notably, they openly refer to their performance chip as the “NITRO PERFORMANCE CHIP” – the very name associated with the original NitroOBD scam! They even admit near the page’s bottom that it’s “an inexpensive, universal solution,” contradicting any notion of custom programming and confirming its one-size-fits-all scam nature. This new website also holds a “D” rating with the Better Business Bureau (BBB).
Image: Thorton Superchargers BBB rating and customer complaints, highlighting issues with refunds and product quality.
Customer complaints on the BBB cite refund issues and product defects, such as short wires and missing parts. A closer comparison of the “About Us” pages of both websites reveals further connections:
Image: Side-by-side comparison of the “About Us” pages of Thorton Performance Chip and Thorton Superchargers websites, demonstrating their identical layouts and design elements.
Be warned: these two websites are interconnected and represent scams to be avoided.
If, after all this evidence, you STILL contemplate purchasing this product, our response is simple:
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